Stories at the Center

As the Stay Home Stay Safe executive orders have been extended to late May, leaving many events and festivals uncertain of their future for the summer, Midland Center for the Arts continues its mission to connect artists with the community. A virtual art festival will now replace the annual Summer Art Fair previously hosted along the streets of Downtown Midland and feature an array of juried artists in a variety of mediums.

Though separated physically by self-isolation, members of the Midland Symphony Orchestra have come together to present its spring concert as a virtual experience for ticketholders and season subscribers. “While we aren’t able to come together at this time, we know that our friends and audiences are at home, missing the concert we all planned to attend this week,” said Dr. Matt Travis, Director of Choral & Orchestral Programs. The Midland Symphony Orchestra was scheduled to perform Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 on Saturday, April 18, but will now present a virtual concert featuring a repertoire of music selected by principal musicians of the orchestra.

We have heard it and we have stated it, these are unprecedented times. A time that will be looked upon as a challenging moment in history, as a nation and as a global society. While Midland County has seen the effects of the coronavirus both in diagnosis of its residents and the daily routine of individuals, the virus has also affected businesses, schools, non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs, places of worship and more. This is not only happening in Midland County, but around the world.

As the State of Michigan has taken precautions to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the nation is suffering with a shortage in blood donations, and organizations like Versiti Blood Center of Michigan have seen over 130 blood drives canceled over the next several weeks. In these uncertain times, when blood donations are vital for the continued health of our community, Midland Center for the Arts and the Midland Rotary Club have stepped up to host a blood drive on Wednesday, April 8 from 1 - 6 p.m. The blood drive will take place at Midland Center for the Arts, 1801 W St. Andrews, Midland, MI 48640.

As the State of Michigan continues to see a rise in cases of COVID-19, hospitals are seeing an exponential growth in visitors to be tested for the virus, treated for other health emergencies, and receive necessary treatments for ongoing health conditions. The demand for medical supplies is increasing while the ability to access these necessary tools is dwindling.

With over 120 youth enrolled in the Center Stage Youth Choirs at Midland Center for the Arts, the Center is working to bring art into the living rooms for local families amidst COVID-19 social distancing precautions. “In these challenging times we turn to one another for support, which is why we have created a virtual community,” said Terri Trotter, President & CEO. In order to accomplish this, the Center began a series of online video rehearsals as a direct extension of the #MakeArtVirtual initiative.

As the cultural hub of the Great Lakes Bay Region, Midland Center for the Arts’ mission is to find meaning and connection. While the community will not be gathering in large groups over the next few weeks, the Center takes their mission very seriously. “In these challenging times we turn to one another for support, which is why we are introducing a virtual gathering place for our community,” said Terri Trotter, President & CEO.

As we get ready to present our concert staging of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel at Midland Center for the Arts, it’s important to reflect back on our collective journey with this play, both here at the Center, and within the American community at large.

This past fall, history was made when two NASA astronauts completed the first-ever spacewalk by an all-woman team, what you could say is ‘one giant leap for mankind,’ and more importantly, womankind. These two astronauts made history only 35 years after the first woman to spacewalk, and now more than any time in our history, women are entering the workforce for careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

As Midland Center for the Arts quickly approaches its 50th anniversary next year, Center programs are seeing exciting growth. In its latest edition, Pollstar Magazine ranked the Center as one of the top theatre venues in the world based on ticket sales. Over the past few years, new programs highlighting shows and artists from around the world, as well as newly formulated community-produced events have contributed to the Center’s increasing audiences and growing notoriety within the arts industry.